My Chaotic Realm

June didn’t arrive gently—it settled in like weather you have to learn to live inside. Heat, salt air, long light days that stretch everything thin. The Gulf Coast is moving toward full summer without asking permission. And in the middle of it, life continues its quieter accounting. In these first days of the month, there was tending. Not grand tending—small, necessary tending. The kind that doesn’t announce itself as spiritual work but turns out to be exactly that. Care shows up in repetition:  being with Dad for several days, checking on his father’s rhythms, noticing what he eats, what he refuses, what passes through without comment. The quiet accounting of another person’s survival becomes its own kind of prayer. There are moments when it feels like holding a fragile thread between past and present, memory and what is still possible. And alongside that, there is my own body insisting on being included in the conversation. It speaks in fatigue, in pressure, in the reminder...

Last night was a bit of a long one. A fire that started Wednesday and was extinguished Thursday reignited and got a bit out of control, coming within 2 miles of our house. We were sitting in the back yard yesterday afternoon with ashes falling on us. Kinda worrisome, I admit. The smoke was so bad that we shut all the windows... worried it would impact the fur-babies smaller lungs. We decided to start our sprinklers watering "just in case" so we set 2 in the back yard (towards fire site) and 1 in the front. They ran until almost 10pm then we shut them off, changed the batteries in our smoke detectors, and called it a night. Today dawns much better...the air has lost that acrid eye-watering component and I can sip my coffee on the back patio in comfort. Because of Covid-19, I missed my grandson's 1st Birthday. I will also miss my Dad's 80th birthday this weekend. They are both in Texas. We did get to Zoom CCJ so that was a nice touch. Don't know if I will be able ...

I have not blogged in almost 7 weeks... that means there was no there has been no accountability posts since April. ARGHHHH In my defense May ended with my annual birthday camping trip AND with one of my co-workers being told to find employment elsewhere. So down to 9 teammates instead of the required 10-11. That means I worked at least 4 days a week in June. I did manage to scrapbook the B-Day pictures though. Speaking of June...that month started with my annual "All Class Reunion". Back home to Bandera we went-even the dogs! Took the camper this time, still stayed at my Dad's place. Mid-June saw us at the IMMS educational booth @ Jones Park during the summer shindig there. Got a tooth from a mackerel & a crow shark. Came away more educated because I didn't even know there were such sharks! we both also did some rubbings...lots of fun. And just when I had become somewhat used to working 4 days a week, teammate #9 quit at the end of June. No notice, no warnin...

3 weeks since my last post. My weekly plan to blog went awry because I have been oh so busy! Birthday trip with the A-Liner went awesome! Dogs behaved and we relaxed. It was so nice to be inside it & dry when the rains started. And since it always seems to rain at some point when we camp I felt like we'd triumphed somehow. Grin. Got back in time to have the pictures printed during Snapfish's Penny Prints sale so that was thrifty as well. I got back to work for a week and ended up having a co-worker get the boot. Thankfully we(dogs included) still got to go to Texas as scheduled. It meant I had to come back to work 2 days ahead of schedule but that is ok. We got to see the kids, my Dad & his friend, Jane, Buc-ees, HEB & Torchy's. All must do;s when there. Also attended my BHS All Class reunion for the Friday Wine Mixer @ the Frontier Times Museum & Steak Night at the 11th Street Cowboy Bar. Made the main event @ same bar to see Rotel & The Hot Toma...

I just noticed that I have not posted on here in like a coon's age.. so sorry!! been busy teaching at Michael's, working at DaVita and living the beach life. callie died in August, almost a year to the day of Mr. Buoy's passing. Sad. We are looking at end of life care for Cappi as she is way into the geriatric doggie stage now. Did make it back to Texas in July & then again early October to see the kids, my dad & some BHS friends. Also did some touristy type things like Horseback riding, walking the river, etc. Bud did not get to go because I took the BF instead. he can go in March. :-) Oh..get this.. DAD QUIT SMOKING!!!!! Wait.. THAT should be the headline.. lemme go change that up top.... ... ... Ok... Title of blog post has been changed. That is like an awesome thing, y'all...So, working on teaching some classes outside of Michael's since they have changed how they pay me. They are now deducting a "Room Fee" from my "Classroom Bo...

So, made the trip back home...we left way before daybreak last week. We hit Jennings park for a quick dip & roll...saw the baby gator (Bud didn't even bark...). Then back in the car & over the Baton Rouge bridge. Ever upward and onward until we finally see it...the Texas State line!! That meant we were halfway there! Made it to 5 Mile Dam and took a trip down memory lane...that was where Bud learned to swim with his Daddy as a mere pup. Speaking of his Dad, we made it to the kid's place in time for dinner and an early bed. Saturday saw us head out at the crack of dawn to Bandera. Along the way I was going to stop for breakfast at the biggest (and newest) Buc-ee's in New Braunfels. That's when I saw it... BRAND NEW HEB+ ...right across from the Beaver!! Ah, my loyalties were torn :-( But HEB+ won. The grand opening was the day before but there were still LOTS of specials. Loaded up the car & ice chest as much as possible (the overflow got to ride with B...

Or, in my case...Dad, who is a wizard in the kitchen, so that counts. Have loaded up the car with shrimp, San Marzano tomatoes (look them up if you want to know why), Old school shredded wheat biscuits, cat food & cat litter...the basics. On the way back I hope to bring lots of Dad's tasty experiments in culinary design as well as some HEB & Spec's items for the household. :-) Some pics from my birthday camping escapade? Why, sure!!